Package bitcoin: Information
Source package: bitcoin
Version: 0.3.21-alt1
Build time: May 4, 2011, 04:44 PM
Category: Networking/Other
Report package bugHome page: http://www.bitcoin.org/
License: MIT
Summary: peer-to-peer network based anonymous digital currency
Description:
Q. What is Bitcoin? A. Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer currency. Peer-to-peer means that no central authority issues new money or tracks transactions. These tasks are managed collectively by the network. Q. How does Bitcoin work? A. Bitcoin utilises public-key cryptography. A coin contains the owner's public key. When a coin is transferred from user A to user B, A adds B's public key to the coin, and the coin is signed using A's private key. B now owns the coin and can transfer it further. A is prevented from transferring the already spent coin to other users because a public list of all previous transactions is collectively maintained by the network. Before each transaction the coin's validity will be checked.
Maintainer: Vladimir V Kamarzin